Watch Dandy

I once knew a glamorous magazine editor who presided over one of the big fashion monthlies. On the inside of her delicate wrist, beneath an impeccably curated collection of designer bangles, resided a small tattoo. Inked in block-capital letters was the single word: “NOW”. This tattoo was a strategically placed reminder for her to stay “in the moment”. Instead of catastrophising about the future or getting hung up on the past, this tattoo was a note-to-self that emboldened her to stay anchored in the “here and now”. Focusing on the present, she explained, was a way of staving off anxiety. But it was also an encouragement to appreciate whatever opportunity was on the table. Which, given her role at the helm of a fashion magazine, usually involved sipping a glass of champagne at some glittery launch while pontificating on why “cyber-goth” is the Next Big Thing. This is a sign of the times: mindfulness and meditation are all the rage. The whole world has apparently learnt to close their eyes and count to Zen. Meditation has become the daily habit of almost every insanely successful person you care to mention. Arnold Schwarzenegger, George Lucas and Paul McCartney are all Om-chanting…

The post The Enabler: How To Justify Buying Another Watch (#7. You Can Pretend You’re Into Mindfulness) appeared first on Time and Tide Watches.

Very few watch straps are as integral to the overall look and feel of a watch as a bracelet can be. On occasions, the bracelet is as essential to the watch DNA as the watch head – a continuation of the same concept, snaking around the wrist. The most famous bracelet design of all time probably belongs to the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak, which burst onto the scene in 1972. It not only redefined the genre of steel sports watches, but it also gave the world a willing poster boy for integrated design. Gérald Genta would continue this trend with the Patek Philippe Nautilus – another legendary steel sports watch. But though these models are perhaps the best example of watches that lose a huge amount of their original message by removing the bracelet, what about those watches that aren’t so wedded to the metal band that holds them to your wrist? Does it matter that you adhere to the designer’s vision whether you like it or not? In a manner of speaking, yes it does. You may not like a bracelet design, but it is always worth buying the watch on its bracelet if the designer has gone to…

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It is becoming increasingly common to see small, emerging microbrands threaten to “pull back the curtain” on the luxury watch industry, in an attempt to upend the established order and claim a slice of the suddenly democratised pie for themselves. But how effective, or even responsible a strategy is it? Is it time to stop rewarding brands for trying to blow the whistle on the inner machinations of the luxury world for the sake of the industry’s future? Lies are never good, but mystery has its place in our lives. The idea that luxury should be in any way transparent is almost, given the very nature of luxury, counterproductive. A luxury purchase is not just about the item being purchased. In fact, it often has very little to do with an item’s relative value, rather its perceived worth. There is a sense of pride in being able to access something exclusive that only luxury can sire. Having all the pomp and circumstance stripped away by a bunch of newcomers who think that it is their civic duty to shine a light on the inner workings of an industry that exists to illuminate the lives of its customers can be a…

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As we float about in the liminal space between Christmas and the new year, it’s a great chance to reflect on the year that the watch world was in 2019. Andrew mentioned in his Letter from the Editor that 2019 could be defined by the hysterical focus on SSR (stainless steel Rolex), as well as similar watches from both Patek Philippe and Audemars Piguet. As a result, this has certainly been a part of almost daily discussion in the Time+Tide office. It might be an eye-watering auction result, a watch listed for sale online at double retail, or a question we receive about what the next watch will be to “hold value”, but the fact that there is very strong demand in a very narrow section of watch collecting can’t be ignored. Andrew articulates the many reasons this is a problem for the watch-loving community, and rather than repeating him, I wanted to take a closer look at the three other areas that I found interesting in the watch industry this year. Watch Fairs vs. Watch Conferences Earlier this year I had the pleasure of attending the 4th Dubai Watch Week, which was maybe the first time the event hit scale.…

The post Letter from the Deputy Editor: 2019 in review appeared first on Time and Tide Watches.